King’s guide to deer resistant plants. Deer can be a frustrating nuisance, but there is some relief! The following is a sample of shrubs and flowers that deer generally avoid and do well in our area. We do like to recommend that a repellent such as Liquid Fence be used when plants are first planted to protect young foliage. The list is arranged by botanical name followed by common name.

Annuals:

Ageratum houstonianum – Floss Flower

Alcea species – Hollyhock

Celosia cristata – Cockscomb

Centaurea cyanus – Bachelor’s Button

Cleome spinosa – Spider Flower

Coreopsis species – Coreopsis

Cosmos species – Cosmos

Dyssodia tenuiloba – Dahlberg Daisy

Eschscholzia californica – California Poppy

Gaillardia species – Gaillardia

Gypsophila – Baby’s Breath

Helianthus species – Sunflower

Impatients balsamina – Balsam

Impatiens wallerana – Busy Lizzie

Ipomoea species – Morning Glory

Limonium sinuatum – Statice

Lobelia erinus – Lobelia

Lobularia maritima – Sweet Alyssum

Myostis sylvatica – Forget-Me-Not

Nigella damascena – Love-in-the-Mist

Papaver rhoeas – Shirley Poppy

Portulaca grandiflora – Rose Moss

Salvia species – Sage

Sanvitalia procumbens – Creeping Zinnia

Scabiosa atropurpurea – Pincushion Flower

Senecio cineraria – Dusty Miller

Tithonia rotundiflora – Mexican Sunflower

Perennials:

Achillea species – Yarrow

Alcea rosea – Hollyhock

Aloe species – Aloe

Alstromeria – Peruvian Lily

Anenome japonica

Aquilegia – Columbine

Armeria maritima – Common Thrift

Artemesia species – Wormwood

Artichoke

Aster species – Perennial Asters

Astilbe – Meadow Sweet

Aubrieta deltoidea – Common Aubrieta

Aurinia saxatilis – Perennial Alyssum

Bellis perennis – English Daisy

Beloperone guttata – Shrimp Plant

Bergenia – Saxifraga

Brachycome iberdifolia – Swan River Daisy

Centaurea cineraria – Dusty Miller

Centranthus ruber – Jupiter’s Beard

Chrysanthemum frutescens – Marguerite

Chrysanthemum partenuim – Feverfew

Coreopsis species

Dicentra species – Bleeding Heart

Digitalis species – Foxglove

Echium fastuosum – Pride of Madeira

Erigeron glaucus – Santa Barbara Daisy

Eriogonom species – Buckwheat

Erysimum linifolium – Bowle’s Mauve

Euryops species

Felicia amelloides – Blue Marguerite

Galium odoratum – Sweet Woodruff

Geranium – Cranesbill

Gerbera jamesonii – Transvaal Daisy

Gypsophila – Baby’s Breath

Helichrysum species – Strawflower

Helleborus niger – Christmas Rose

Hemerocallis – Daylily

Heuchera sanguinea – Coral Bells

Iris species

Kniphofia uvaria – Red Hot Poker

Lantana montevidensis – Trailing Lantana

Lavandula species – Lavener

Leonotis leonurus – Lion’s Tail

Limonium – Sea Lavender

Liriope muscari – Lily Turf

Lobelia cardinalis – Cardinal Flower

Lupinus species – Lupine

Lychnis coronaria – Crown Pink

Mimulus – Monkey Flower

Mirabilis – Four O’Clock

Monarda species – Bee Balm

Nepeta faassenii – Catmint

Nierembergia species – Cupflower

Oenothera species – Evening Primrose

Origanum dictamnus – Crete Dittany

Papaver orientale – Oriental Poppy

Penstemon – Beard Tongue

Phlox subulata – Moss Pink

Rudbeckia hirta – Gloriosa Daisy

Ruta graveolens – Common Rue

Salvia species – Sage, Salvia

Santolina chamaecyparissus- Lavender Cotton

Scabiosa columbaria – Pincushion Flower

Silene acaulis – Cushion Pink

Stachys byzantina – Lamb’s Ear

Tagetes lemmonii – Bush Marigold

Tropaeolum – Nasturtium

Tulbaghia violacae – Society Garlic

Verbena peruviana – Peruvian Verbena

Viola odorata – Sweet Violet

Zantendeschia – Calla Lily

Bulbs:

Alstromeria – Peruvian Lily

Amaryllis belladonna – Naked Lady

Begonia – Tuberous Begonia

Canna

Crocosmia – Montbretia

Crocus

Cyclamen

Cymbidium – Terrestrial orchids

Cypripedium californicum – Lady Slipper

Dahlia imperialis – Tree Dahlia

Freesia

Fritillaria imperialis – Crown Imperial

Galanthus elwesii – Giant Snowdrop

Ixia

Muscari – Grape Hyacinth

Narcissus – Daffodil

Scillia – Blue Bells

Watsonia – Bugle Lily

Zantedeschia – Calla Lily

Grasses (and grass-like plants):

Acorus variegatus – Japanese Sweet Flag

Alopecurus pretensis “Aureovariegatus” – Yellow Meadow Foxtail

Arundinaria viridistriata – Dwarf Running Bamboo

Arundo donax – Reed Grass

Briza maxima/media – Quacking Grass

Calamagrostis – Feather Reed Grass

Carex – Sedge Grass

Deschampsia caespitosa – Tufted Hair Grass

Dietes – Fortnight Lily

Festuca – Fescue

Hakonechloa – Golden

Imperata – Japanese Blood Grass

Juncus – Common Rush

Miscanthus – Feather Grass

Molinia – Purple Moor Grass

Pennisetum – Fountain Grass

Phalaris – Ribbon Grass

Phormium – New Zealand Flax

Stipa gigantea – Feather Grass

Vines and Groundcover:

Ajuga reptans – Carpet Bugle

Anthemis nobilis – Chamomile

Bougainvillea species

Campsis species – Trumpet Creeper

Carpobrotus edulis – Ice Plant

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides – Dwarf Plumbago

Chamaemelum nobile – Chamomile

Clematis armandii – Evergreen Clematis

Coprosma kirkii – Creepingn Coprosma

Erodium chamaedryoides – Crane’s Bill

Ficus pumilla – Creeping Fig

Gazania species

Gelsemium sempervirens – Carolina Jasmine

Hedera helix – English Ivy

Herniaria glabra – Green Carpet

Irish moss

Isotoma – Blue Star Creeper

Jasminium species – Jasmine

Juniper species – Juniper

Lithidora diffusa

Lotus berthelotii – Parrot’s Beak

Mint species

Myoporum parvifolium – Creeping Myoporum

Muehlenbeckia – Mattress Vine

Osteospermum fruticosum – Trailing African Daisy

Pachysandra terminalis – Japanese Spurge

Polygonum – Knotweed

Scaevola – Mauve Clusters

Solanum jasminoides – Potato Vine

Stachys byzantina – Lamb’s Ears

Thumbergia alata – Black-Eyed Susan Vine

Thymus species

Vinca species – Periwinkle

Viola odorata – Sweet Violet

Wisteria species – Wisteria

Zauschneria californica – California Fuschia

Trees:

Acer palmatum – Japanese Maples

Aesculus calofirnica – California Buckeye

Albeisia – Silk Tree

Arbutus – Strawberry Tree

Catalpa species

Cinnamomum camphora – Camphor Tree

Conifers: cedar, fir, pine, redwood, spruce

Cotinus coggyria – Smoke Tree

Crataegus species – Ash

Diospyros – Persimmon

Eucalyptus species

Ficus carica – Fruiting Fig

Fraxinus species – Ash

Ginko biloba – Maidenhair Tree

Lagerstroma indica – Crepe Myrtle

Laurus nobilis – Grecian Laurel

Liquidamber styraciflua – Sweet Gum

Magnolia species – Magnolia

Maytenus boaria – Mayten Tree

Olea europaea – Olive

Pistachia chinensis – Chinese Pistache

Podocarpus granatum – Yew Pine

Punica granatum – Pomegranate

Quercus species – Oak

Quince – Fruiting Quince

Rhus species – Sumac

Scinus species – Pepper Tree

Sequoia sempervirens – Coast Redwood

Thuja plicata – Western Red Cedar

Umbellularia californica – California Bay

Bushes and shrubs:

All Ferns

Agapanthus species – Lily of the Nile

Alyogyne huegelii – Blue Hibiscus

Arctostaphylos – Manzanita

Bamboo species

Berberis species – Barberry

Brugmansia – Angel’s Trumpet

Buddleia – Butterfly Bush

Buxus species – Boxwood

Callistemon species – Bottlebrush

Ceanothus – Wild Lilac

Chaenomeles species – Flowering Quince

Choisya ternata – Mexican Mock Orange

Cistus species – Rockrose

Clivia miniata – Kaffir Lily

Coleonema pulchrum – Pink Breath of Heaven

Convovulus cneorum – Bush Morning Glory

Coprosma kirkii – Dwarf Mirror Plant

Cordyline autralis – Dracena Palm

Corokia cotoneaster – Twisted Cotoneaster

Correa pulchella – Australian Fuchsia

Cotoneaster lacteus – Red Clusterberry

Crassula argentea – Jade Plant

Cyperus species – Papyrus

Daphne species – daphne

Dendromecon harfordii – Island Bush Poppy

Dodonaea viscosa – Hop Bush

Dracena species – Dragon Palm

Echium fastuosum – Pride of Madeira

Echium wildpretii – Tower of Jewels

Elaeagnus species – Silverberry

Erica – Heath

Eriogonum arboresscens – Wild Buckwheat

Euphorbia species – Spurge

Fatsia japonica – Japanese Aralia

Feijoa sellowiana – Pineapple Guava

Ferns – all types

Forsythia species – Forsythia

Fremontodendron – Flannel Bush

Garrya elliptica – coastal Silktassle

Gaultheria shallon – Salal

Geranium – Cranesbill

Geranium – scented varieties

Grevellia species – Grevellia

Hakea sauveolens – Sweet hakea

Halimium lasianthum – Sunrose

Hebe buxifolia – Boxleaf Hebe

Helianthemim nummularium – Sun Rose

Heteromeles arbutifolia – Toyon

Hypericum calycinum – St. John’s Wort

Ilex species – Holly

Impatiens oliveri – Snapweed, Poor Man’s Rhododendron

Iris species – Iris

Juniperus species – Juniper

Kniphofia uvaria – Red Hot Poker

Kolkwitzia amabilis – Beauty Bush

Lagerstoemia indica – Crepe Myrtle

Lavandula species – Lavender

Leptospermum species – Tea Tree

Loropetalum chinense – Chinesse Witch Hazel

Lupinus arboreus – Lupine

Mahonia species – Oregon Grape

Melaleuca species – Melaleuca

Melianthus major – Honey Bush

Metrosideros excelsus – New Zealand Christmas Tree

Moraea iridiodes – African Iris

Myoporum species – Myoporum

Myrica californica – Pacific Wax Myrtle

Myrtus communis – Common Myrtle

Nandina domestica – Heavenly Bamboo

Nerium oleander – Oleander

Philadelphus coronarius – Sweet Mock Orange

Philodendron selloum – Bigleaf Philodendron

Phlomis fruiticosa – Jerusalem Sage

Phormium tenax – New Zealand Flax

Pieris species – Pieris

Plumbago auriculata – Cpae Plumbago

Poinciana gilliesii – Bird of Paradise Bush

Potentilla fruiticosa – Bush Cinquefoil

Prostanthera rotundifolia – Mint Bush

Punica granatum – Pomegranate

Quercus – Oak

Rhamnus californica – California Coffeeberry

Rhododendron species – Rhododendron (not Azaleas)

Rhus species – Sumac

Ribes species – Currant, Gooseberry

Romneya coulteri – Matilija Poppy

Rosmarinus officinalis – Rosemary

Ruhus vitifolius – Blackberry

Salvia secies – Salvia, Sage

Sambucus caerulea – Blue Elderberry

Sarcococca species – Sarcococca, Sweet Box

Sollya heterophylla – Australian Bluebell

Strelitzia species – Bird of Paradise

Syringa species – Common Lilac

Syzygium paniculatum – Brush Cherry

Tamaarix species – Tamarisk

Tellima grandiflora – Fringe Cup

Tetrapanax papyruferus – Rice Paper Plant

Teucrium fruticans – Bush Germander

Thuya / Thuja scpecies – Arborvitae

Westringia rosmariniformis – Westringa

Yucca glauca – Small Soapweed